Tag: Ravens

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta reflects on going through draft process without Joe Hortiz

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta discussed going through the 2024 draft process without Joe Hortiz

The Baltimore Ravens have intricate draft processes, including many different organization members. While the general manager might have the final say in who’s selected, Baltimore relies more than ever on its scouting department and others throughout the team to ensure every option is exhausted.

This draft season, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta had to go through his process without one of his closest companions, former Baltimore director of player personnel Joe Hortiz. DeCosta joked that there’s more leg room now when he does press conferences that Hortiz used to attend, but he conceded that he misses him very much.

“There’s definitely more leg room up here.” (laughter) “I’m probably more comfortable, because [former Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz] was always butting into us. It’s been a change for me, definitely. I miss Joe. I miss his personality. Joe’s a great evaluator. First and foremost, for me, the comfort that I would have with Joe saying, ‘Take a look at these guys and let me know what you think.’ [He has] great instincts [and] great feel as an evaluator. In saying that, we have other guys that excel at that as well. [Head coach] John [Harbaugh] is a great evaluator. [Executive vice president] Ozzie Newsome’s a Hall of Fame evaluator. [Director of player personnel] George Kokinis, [director of college scouting] David Blackburn – our coaches do a great job [as well]. We definitely have guys who can pick up the slack. I was thinking about it today coming in. I think this is my 20th year running the Draft. I think my first year was 2005 – the [former Ravens WR] Mark Clayton Draft. It’s crazy to think that everything that goes into it [for] 20 years. Joe was with me for 19 of those 20 years. Obviously, it’s a big change, but I think one that is exciting. We certainly have people who can step up and really get it done.”

Hortiz was a staple in Baltimore, working his way up the ranks of the Ravens’ organization with DeCosta since 1998 when he was a personnel assistant. The former director of player personnel earned the general manager job of the Los Angeles Chargers, meaning he and DeCosta will be going head-to-head for the first time in the 2024 NFL draft.

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta discusses changes to evaluating kick returners with new rules

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta discussed changes to how kick returners are evaluated with the NFL’s new rules

The Baltimore Ravens have long-been known for their special teams prowess across the NFL, especially under head coach John Harbaugh. The team executes at an extremely high level on that side of the ball, spending plenty of capital to make sure they are to the highest special teams standard possible.

The NFL introduced new special teams rules during the 2024 offseason, specifically on kickoff returns. Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta was asked about how evaluating returners has changed with the new rules in place, and talked about the special teams culture that they’ve already established.

“Well, that’s a good question. And I would say this, that I’ve been blessed to have a head coach who’s a special teams coach, and we have excellent specials teams coaches upstairs. Those guys are really valuable to me whenever we discuss special teams and what these rule changes might mean and the type of players that we’re looking for and the skillsets that we’re looking for. So, we want athletes, and we want playmakers. They have to catch the ball. They have to be able to break tackles. They have to be able to make guys miss. So, I think we’re in the process of addressing that in different ways. There’s certainly some skilled guys in the Draft, some excellent returners – we’ve talked about a few guys already – and I think we’ll be in good shape in September.”

The Ravens lost wide receiver Devin Duvernay to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the offseason, but subsequently signed former Buffalo Bills wideout Deonte Harty to fill the void. Both players are known primarily as returners, but with new rules changing the landscape of kickoffs, the league could see a shift in what’s valued in a returner.

John Harbaugh reaffirms Ravens commitment to best player available strategy in draft

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh reaffirmed his commitment to the best player available strategy in the draft

Throughout their franchise history, the Baltimore Ravens have been able to replenish roster after roster through the draft. They’ve been known to find diamonds in the rough in later rounds, hit on early picks, and win draft season year in and year out.

Baltimore’s commitment to using the best player-available strategy is part of its success. When discussing the 2024 NFL draft, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh reaffirmed his commitment to selecting the best player available, explaining that things go deeper than pure need.

“I feel like you’re trying to get Eric [DeCosta] … The one [question] he won’t answer through me on that. To see if I’ll give it up and maybe Harbaugh will chirp, or he’s a canary. I’m a canary I guess.” (laughter) “Best available player. Isn’t that what we said? It depends again. It depends on … We do have some needs. I have my depth chart; there’s no doubt, and Eric and I talk about that all the time – where the blocks are and where the goals are specifically for those guys. [It’s] kind of what type of player do we need and what type of spot to build our team from the top to the bottom. There’s a lot of thought that goes into it, [and] a lot of conversation that goes into that. So, it’s not just a position. It’s not just a, ‘Hey, we need an offensive lineman, a guard, a tackle, wide receiver, a corner, a pass rusher, tight end or whatever.’ It’s what type of player do we need and what roles do we need filled? Even right through – from offense or defense right down through special teams – these are all the jobs that need to be done and who fills those jobs the best in a way that can win for us. [It’s] not just, ‘He can do that,’ it’s usually who’s going to excel at what. And that is the team-building process, and that goes with the scheme, too. So sometimes you get players that are a little bit different, so you want to move your scheme that way. Sometimes you have a way you want to play, you have needs on your roster, so you move your Draft a little bit that way. I think that’s the art of the whole thing.”

The Ravens have always done an excellent job of addressing needs, but taking the best players on their board has been what pays dividends and keeps them in contention year in and year out. The strategy allows them to plan for the future while also understanding what they need in the moment. It also lets them plug and play a quality player at a position when a starter leaves due to immense depth.

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta on picking at No. 30: ‘I don’t see any unique challenges’

Ravens Eric DeCosta discussed picking at No. 30 in the 2024 NFL draft

The Baltimore Ravens lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. Baltimore was outplayed. As such, the Ravens are picking No. 30 in the 2024 NFL draft, a position with many pros and cons.

When asked what picking at No. 30 can entail, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta said he doesn’t see any unique challenges between picking early or late. He mentions that either way, you’re trying to get value, and at the end of the day, you grade and rank players and select based on multiple factors.

“I don’t see any unique challenges picking early [or] picking late. It’s really the same. It’s just having the players that you really want be there when you have to pick. If you have a typical Draft, if you’re picking 10th, you maybe have four or five guys you really want. If you’re picking 28th or 30th, you might only have 15 or 20 guys that you really want. The way your brain works, is you [assign] a value to players, and you’re hoping to get that value at that pick. You really want to get value. For us, it’s just you hope and pray that one of those top 20 guys might be there for us at [pick No.] 30 so we have some additional value associated with that. In the end, you just grade the players, and you rank the players.”

The No. 30 pick could hold possible value for teams trying to trade to back into the first round, or there could be a fall of a player that the Ravens can get lucky with. There will still be plenty of quality options available when Baltimore is slated to be on the clock, with plenty of possible outcomes.

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta calls edge rusher class in 2024 NFL draft ‘average’

Ravens’ general manager Eric DeCosta called the EDGE class in the 2024 NFL draft “average”

The Baltimore Ravens will likely look to add to their edge room before the 2024 offseason concludes. The team already re-signed veteran pass rusher Kyle Van Noy, but they could sign an outside free agent or draft a rookie who could be a difference-maker.

When speaking to the media, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta gave his honest opinion on the upcoming edge class in the 2024 NFL draft. He said that the pass rusher group available this year is only “average”, saying that it depends on what teams are looking for with speed, power, and more.

“I think it’s an average Draft, I would say, for edge pass rushers. There are certainly some guys at the top. For us, we’ve had success throughout the years in finding some guys in the middle rounds that have been good players for us. It really depends on what you’re looking for. You have your speed rushers. You have power guys, guys that can do both, guys that have to play in a three-point stance [and] guys that can play in a two-point stance. A lot of it has to do with your fit and what you’re looking for. Our coaches play a big part in that in their evaluation. [Pass rush coach] Chuck Smith does a really, really good job of evaluating pass rushers and has done a good job for us coaching those guys as well. We’ll get the [Draft] board squared away. There are certainly some guys at the top that probably won’t be there when we pick. So, the challenge for us is going to be who’s going to be that next-tier group of guys in that sweet spot between the 25th player to the 45th player that we have a chance to get either at [pick No.] 30 or at [pick No.] 62.”

The Ravens will be relying on young players such as Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo regarding their edge rushers, alongside the veteran presence of players like Van Noy. However, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the team add a rookie edge player, even in an “average” class.

Saints OL James Hurst retires after 10 seasons in the NFL

After 10 seasons in the NFL and four years with the New Orleans Saints, offensive lineman James Hurst has announced retirement:

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The New Orleans Saints now have their first retirement of the offseason, with offensive lineman James Hurst announcing early Wednesday afternoon he will be ending his career in the NFL.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Hurst thanked many people for their support throughout his career.  He ended the thread with a thank-you to the sport itself, saying that it gave him the opportunity to compete with and against some of the best athletes on the planet, and allowed him to accomplish a childhood dream.

Hurst spent 10 seasons in the NFL, six of which were spent with the Baltimore Ravens (who signed him as an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina), and the last four with the Saints. He signed with New Orleans back in 2020, playing in 12 games before receiving a three-year extension the next offseason. He did also take a pay cut earlier this offseason, reducing his salary cap hit down to $2.97 million and making his retirement easier for the Saints’ accountants to manage.

This retirement leaves the Saints in a difficult situation on the eve of the 2024 draft, as they were already pretty weak along the offensive line. With Ryan Ramczyk dealing with a potential long-term recovery after knee surgery, the Saints are going to need to focus heavily on restocking the position in the draft. With Trevor Penning’s development seemingly not going as planned, Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz remain as the two starters with three gaps alongside them at this point. We will see how the Saints handle this, but as of right now it is certainly a tough spot to be in.

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Eric DeCosta ‘excited’ to have Kyle Van Noy back with the Ravens

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta is excited to have outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy back with the team

The Baltimore Ravens are currently relying on youth at the edge rusher position. The team lost Jadeveon Clowney to the Carolina Panthers but retained veteran Kyle Van Noy on a two-year deal after a productive season in Baltimore.

While Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo will be key young pieces to the Ravens’ pass-rushing group in 2024, Van Noy was a must-retain in terms of the leadership and production he brought both on and off the field. Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta discussed his excitement for having Van Noy back with the team while also mentioning the young guys on the team.

“First, we were very excited to bring Kyle [Van Noy] back. It was a great experience for us last year with Kyle, and I think Kyle would say the same. He’s certainly a player that helped us quite a bit. [I] love his mentality, leadership, physicality that he brings [and] versatility as a player. I think it’s great to have a veteran in the [outside linebacker] room. We do have a lot of younger guys. We have a lot younger guys that we think have a lot of potential, and we would expect those guys to reach their potential this year. We’re very excited about all those young players. We’ve seen some quality play. We’ve seen some flashes of quality play, and we’re very excited. We can’t wait to get started.”

Van Noy was a late addition for the Ravens last year, as the team brought him at the end of September, a few weeks into the 2023 season. He was an invaluable contributor on defense, setting a career-high in sacks with nine while also contributing 30 total tackles and two forced fumbles.

Will Ravens look to pick up 5th-year option on LB Odafe Oweh?

Will the Ravens pick up the fifth-year options on outside linebacker Odafe Oweh?

The Baltimore Ravens have faced some big decisions this offseason, and the toughest could be deciding on Odafe Oweh’s fifth-year option.

The Ravens gained clarification on Rashad Bateman on Wednesday, signing the wide receiver to a three-year contract extension.

When Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta was asked about whether the team would pick up or decline Oweh’s fifth-year options, he was non-committal, saying the team would have more to say about the decisions after the draft.

“I think we’re about a month away from that decision. So, that’s probably when we’ll make that decision, I would think, but we’ll have more to say about that probably after the Draft.”

Oweh’s fifth-year option will be $13.2 million.

The Ravens have until May 2nd to decide on Oweh. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted a pass rush win rate of 18.2 percent, which was the 10th-best mark in the entire league.

In 13 games, Oweh made five starts and recorded 23 total tackles including four for a loss, 12 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and tied his career-high in sacks from his rookie year with five.

Ravens HC John Harbaugh excited for looming offensive line competition

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is excited for competition at the vacant offensive line spots the team has

Once the 2024 NFL season officially kicks off, the Baltimore Ravens will have a very different-looking starting offensive line. John Simpson, Kevin Zeitler, and Morgan Moses have all left the team, leaving Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum as the only two starters from last year’s squad.

When asked about the competition for the three open starting spots, Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh said he’s excited about what’s in store. He mentioned that the players already on the roster will be ready to compete, and it’s about whoever plays the best at that time.

“Yes, absolutely. It’s going to be competitive. There’s going to be competition for those spots. Whoever plays the best – we always say, ‘Who’s the best player’ – it’s the player who plays the best. You could have been the best player five years ago, but you’re not the best player now. So, every day, you go out to practice every game you play, there’s an accumulated established aspect of it. But right now, we’re a little more open, so those guys that you’re talking about are going to be competing with whoever comes in here, and we’ll just see who does it. But I think those guys are ready to compete and do well. They’ll be in here Monday [for the start of the offseason conditioning program]. I can’t wait to see them. It’s going to be great to see those guys Monday working hard, and [we’ll] see what happens.”

Ben Cleveland, Andrew Vorhees, Daniel Faalele, and others could win starting jobs on the offensive line. Each player has shown flashes, whether at the college or pro level and with so many spots open, there’s bound to be plenty of healthy competition.

Chiefs GM Brett Veach on trading with AFC rivals: ‘Asking prices are a tick higher’

#Chiefs GM Brett Veach told reporters that trading with Kansas City’s AFC rivals is difficult because “asking prices are a tick higher”

The Kansas City Chiefs’ success over the past few seasons has been partly due to decisions the team has made in the offseason. Their front office, led by general manager Brett Veach, has found ways to reshape the roster around its stars to maintain its supremacy, and the rest of the league has taken notice.

During a press conference on Friday, Veach spoke openly about the Chiefs’ mindset heading into the draft next week and revealed that doing business with every team in the league isn’t easy due to Kansas City’s status as Super Bowl champions.

“I think that if it can benefit them (another team), I think they’re always going to pick up the phone and call and be willing to work,” Veach explained. “I don’t think a team will diminish their ability to do something they really want to do just because it’s the Chiefs.

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“I do think that the ability to deal with certain teams it’s always been understood that if you’re going to deal with the team in your division, there’s a little bit more of a premium. Still, I think just some of the AFC teams, in general, that are consistent playoff performers.”

The Chiefs have consistently had battles with rivals in the AFC on their way to three titles over the last five years. Veach understands that other teams take caution to avoid adding to Kansas City’s dominance in the offseason.

“The Buffalo (Bills) and the Cincinnati Bengals and [the] Baltimore (Ravens), it’s probably a little bit harder to deal with those teams,” Veach continued. “Even if they pick up the phone, I think some of their asking prices are a tick higher. So I think we get hit with a little more interest. I think that there’s always a way to make a deal, but I think certain teams will probably up the price a little bit.”

Kansas City’s dynasty will be remembered for the fantastic players that Veach and his staff have brought in over the years, and the classic games that have been won due to the Chiefs’ exceptional foresight in roster construction.